Burl Audio B16-B22-ELMA – a portable B16 Mothership interface configuration with the four-channel B22 ORCA DAC and control room monitoring card, in the precision ELMA stepped attenuator version.
The two-slot B16 Mothership chassis, in a 2U format, runs the exact same B22 ORCA card found on the larger B80 model - a fully discrete Class-A analog path on BOPA14 chips, with two mix/mastering DAC channels fitted with a switchable BX5 transformer and two channels feeding the monitoring section with speaker and headphone outputs. The ELMA version replaces the standard ALPS potentiometer with a switch built on 0.1%-tolerance matched resistors, keeping the same setting precision as the larger chassis.
Stepped-switch precision in a compact chassis
Stepped level control via the ELMA switch lets you return to exactly the same monitoring setting between sessions, whether the unit lives permanently in a studio or travels between different recording locations. That matters for mobile work, where a room's acoustic conditions can vary, but repeatable reference levels across sessions remain essential for consistent mixing decisions.A flexible setup with a second open slot
The B16 chassis' second slot can be filled with an ADC conversion card, such as a BAD4 or B4, creating a complete tracking-and-monitoring path in one small unit instead of pairing a separate recording interface with an external monitor controller. That setup cuts the number of devices in a traveling recording rig without giving up precise, analog control over monitoring level.KEY FEATURES
- B16 Mothership 2U chassis with two conversion card slots
- B22 ORCA card: 4-channel DAC with a control room monitoring section
- Two mix/mastering channels with a switchable BX5 output transformer
- Two channels feeding stereo speaker and headphone outputs
- ELMA stepped switch with 0.1% matched resistors
- Second slot available for an additional ADC conversion card
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- System type: modular AD/DA interface, 2U chassis
- Number of card slots: 2
- Conversion card: B22 ORCA, 4-channel DAC with monitor controller
- Analog path: discrete, Class-A (BOPA14), BX5 transformer
- Dynamic range: 115 dB
- THD+N: -96 dB, full scale output +22 dBu
- Card connectivity: 8-channel DB25 (Tascam style)
- Level control: ELMA stepped switch (0.1% resistors)
